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To beat the heat, dance in the water
The Dadaepo Sunset Fountain of Dreams is the largest fountain in Korea, with over 1,000 lights and nearly 1,200 nozzles. It opened in March 2010 and has been cooling down visitors ever since.
As the summer heats up, there are several places citywide for you to cool off. Skip the beaches and valleys and head for the city's water fountains. With refreshing streams of water, dazzling lights and music to dance along to, these water fountains are a great way to beat the summer heat.
Children enjoy playing in the cool jet streams of Sunset Fountain.
■ Dadaepo Sunset Fountain of Dreams
The fountain, located near the entrance to Dadaepo Beach, is massive. Once listed in the Guinness World Records, it covers 2,519 square meters and blasts water 55 meters into the air. While it may no longer be the largest in the world, it is certainly the largest in Korea.
During the day, visitors can splash around jets of water. After sunset, the fountain turns into a choreographed show of water, music and lights. The colorful and dynamic sprays are just as glamorous as fireworks in the night sky.
Sunset Fountain is a popular background for various events. Opera concerts and taekwondo showcases have been performed alongside the fountain's wet arches. In 2022, idol group NewJeans danced in front of the fountain while listening to their hit single "Attention." Even the hottest girl group in Korea agrees that seeing the Sunset Fountain is one of the coolest experiences you can have in Busan.
The in-ground fountain is open from spring to early fall. In the summer, visitors can play in the water daily for 20 minutes every hour from 2 to 5 p.m. An additional 10-minute water play period is available after the 8 p.m. music show.
The 20-minute nighttime musical fountain show is available from April to October. From April to August, the performance begins at 8 p.m. on Tuesday to Friday. On weekends and holidays, there are two shows, at 8 and 9 p.m. In September and October, the shows begin 30 minutes earlier.
There is no show on Mondays, and performances can be canceled due to inclement weather. For performance details and updates, visit the fountain's official Instagram page (@sunsetfountain_of_dream).
The Gounbadagil Water Fountain is a spectacular scene to enjoy.
■ Gounbadagil Water Fountain
The Gounbadagil Water Fountain is located in Haeundae Square and is embedded in the pedestrian walkway between the Haeundae metro station and Haeundae Beach. Opened in 2018, the fountain has been a popular attraction in the heart of Busan's most popular tourist destination.
While it covers only 336 square meters, what the fountain lacks in size is made up by its charm. Spurts of water leap, twirl and dance to a medley of popular songs, dynamic lights and other media clips.
The 20-minute fountain music show is available from April to October, Tuesday to Sunday. In July and August, performances are at 2, 5, 7:30 and 9 p.m. Visitors can also cool down in the fountain's sprays three times daily, at 3, 4, and 5:20 p.m. The fountain is closed for maintenance on Mondays.